Congressman Eric Cantor Says He Will Resign August 18th, Calls For Special Election

Congressman Eric Cantor says he will step down and resign from the House early and has asked Governor McAuliffe to call for a special election to coincide with the November 4th general election to choose his successor. It came as a shock and only hours after Cantor said farewell to his colleges as the number 2 GOP leader in the House. A few hours later, Cantor told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that he will also resign from his office altogether, months earlier than expected on August 18th and called for the special election that would allow his successor to take office immediately and gain some seniority over other freshman Congressman.

Cantor was unexpectedly defeated in the Republican primary in June, by an underfunded politically-unknown Randolph-Macon College Professor Dave Brat, in a heavily-Republican district. Yesterday was his final day as House Majority Leader.